Graveyard Shift
by IronicSnap
Summary: Post-canon oneshot. The Harvest Moon Festival has arrived, bringing with it costumes, candy, and creepiness. Judy and Nick are on duty, so for them it's business as usual... more or less.


"Alright... al _right!_ **Shut it!** "

Bogo slammed a fist onto the bullpen's podium and the officers dutifully went silent. He glared around with even more venom than usual. "Do not let Officer Clawhauser's redecoration of the front lobby _deceive_ you. The Harvest Moon Festival might be fun and games for everybody else, but for us, it's a _nightmare._ Masks. Fireworks. Parties. There are always idiots who take things too far... as well as a few dirtbags who try to use the chaos as an smokescreen for more serious offences. You all were assigned to the night shift for a reason. You're some of the department's best, and I expect nothing _less_ than your best. Is that understood?"

" **Sir! Yes sir!** "

"Good," he growled. "If you have any questions, get them out of the way now."

"I got one, Chief. What's the official protocol when it comes to confiscating confectionery from minors?"

"Shut your damn mouth, Wilde!"

* * *

Judy sighed contentedly as she drove the police cruiser out of the parking lot. "The moon's fully visible, it's cold but not _too_ cold, and the forecast said there's going to be some great mist later... it's a wonderful night for the festival!"

Nick lounged in the passenger seat, enjoying a packet of orange and black candy. "Didn't think you'd be such a big fan of the holiday, Carrots. Any more than you love every other day on the calendar, that is."

"You're kidding, right?" laughed Judy. "It's the _Harvest_ Moon Festival. It's huge in farming towns like Bunnyburrow! And I'm just a simple country bunny, remember?"

"True, true..."

Judy's smile grew a little wistful. "This... is actually the first year I haven't gone home for it. I mean, I'm honoured I'm on call tonight! Seems like Bogo picked us all specifically. But..."

"Yeah." Nick sat up, his joking smirk giving way to genuine interest. "Is it big in your family?"

"Like I said, down there, it's pretty big in everybody's family. Mostly it's just a reason to get together, but it's got a lot of little traditions attached to it."

Nick looked out the window, watching as the sky slowly darkened. "Well, I know my jaded city ways are strange to you, Carrots, but it sucks that you're not getting your traditional night. So please allow me to let you in on _my_ yearly tradition, such as it is: going home, eating slightly more sugary goods than usual, and maybe watching a movie."

"Aww, Nick! Thanks! That's really sweet of you!"

He smirked at her quietly. "Was that an intentional pun?"

"Semi-intentional." Judy kept her eyes on the road, but she was beaming. "Actually, that works out great! There's a film I try to watch every year, either tonight or close to it."

"Oh yeah? What film is it?

" _Witch of the Pasture!_ " she chirped. "It's a classic!"

Nick laughed. "What, really? That's for little kids!"

"It's not _just_ for kids," huffed Judy. "It's a charming, beautifully animated movie that just happens to be appropriate for all ages. Adults can totally enjoy it too."

"Sure they can." He shook his head, smirking. "Maybe this year you should watch something more appropriate. Like _Dark Eclipse_."

" _Dark Eclipse_?" said Judy, who definitely wasn't nervous. "Isn't that the one about the wolf who goes nuts, and... and, uh...?"

"Yes, yes it is." Nick chuckled. "The depiction of his mental health is a little questionable, medically speaking, but critics agree that it portrays the 'And, Uh' spectacularly. Now _that's_ a classic."

"I guess art is subjective..." murmured Judy.

Most of the night was uneventful. They made wide loops of downtown Zootopia, keeping an eye on the streets. They quietened a few parties, checked a few firework licenses, and made sure the costumed crowds were staying safe – especially the young children, running around in colourful outfits and enjoying the atmosphere of the holiday in the cold autumn air.

By the time the call came in, it was late. The mist had begun to roll in, a testament to the fading summer. The last vestiges of sunlight were long gone, and the harvest moon dominated the sky, reminding the world that tonight was its night. Its light mingled with that of the dim street-lamps, giving the entire city a dark orange glow.

The duo were sitting in comfortable silence when the radio crackled. "Attention, everybody, we just got word of a robbery," came Clawhauser's voice. "A gas station downtown was hit by a lone thief. Suspect is a tawny coyote, male, wearing a black jacket and a blue mask. He left the scene on a black motorcycle, heading southbound on Howard Avenue."

"Huh," said Nick. "Depending on how fast he's going, that'd put him pretty close to –"

At that point a motorcycle roared past their car.

They both jerked in surprise. The driver was in clear view – a duffel bag of cash strapped to his back – but he was pulling ahead.

Judy switched on the siren and slammed the accelerator. As the cruiser lurched forward, Nick grabbed the radio. "This is Hopps and Wilde! We have a visual and are in pursuit. Suspect is continuing south at high speed."

"Copy that!" said Clawhauser. "Stay on him, you two! Back-up is on the way."

Judy scoffed gently, her purple eyes gleaming in the orange light. "Back-up? For one loser on a bike? Guess it's quieter than Bogo thought. We can totally take him by ourselves!"

"Sure," said Nick distantly.

The coyote looked over his shoulder, and the cruiser's headlights caught his mask. A blue demon stared them down, the sharp teeth of its twisted grin shining unnaturally.

Then he turned back and sped up.

Judy narrowed her eyes and followed suit.

They soon shot past the city limits. As the buildings disappeared, the mist worsened. Even with the cruiser's high-power beams, the motorcycle was hard to keep track of.

Then it was gone.

Judy blinked. "What? Where–?"

"Sharp left!" yelled Nick, and Judy twisted the steering wheel. Nick's night vision had been right. The cruiser rolled down a side road, its powerful tires tearing through soft mud. Judy slowed down, but only barely. They weren't done yet.

Nick peered through the mist, then stiffened. "Stop – stopstop _stop!_ " Judy hit the brake just as the headlights illuminated what Nick had seen.

An imposing gate stood before them; spiked metal bars between two large pillars of dark grey stone. ' _Leo Church Cemetery_ ' proclaimed a faded blue plaque.

The coyote's motorcycle lay by a pillar. Its front wheel was still spinning. One half of the gate was open, rattling in the cold wind.

Judy exhaled. "Guess we know where he went. Come on."

"'Come on'?" said Nick. Judy was already undoing her seatbelt. "We're really going to chase him inside?"

"Of course!"

"Can't we just wait it out? This whole place looks gated off. Doesn't look like there are any other exits."

"We don't know that for sure." She opened the door and hopped down to ground level, then turned to flash him a smile. "Besides – where's the fun in that?"

Nick sighed heavily. He grabbed a flashlight and dragged himself out of the car.

They stepped through the gate, and Nick's fear was confirmed. Inside the graveyard, the mist was absolute. Wispy white vapour choked the air. Even with the flashlight and his night vision, visibility was terrible. The two seemed trapped in an endless, ghostly labyrinth.

Nick sagged. "You've got to be kidding me."

"This is bad, alright," said Judy thoughtfully. "With fog this thick, he might try to slip past us and drive off again." She produced a small flashlight of her own. "Okay. You stay here and watch the gate. I'm gonna go in."

" _What?_ " Nick stared at her. "This is exactly why you need to watch more horror films! You clearly have no _idea_ what an abysmal plan that is!"

"Enough quips, Nick. We're wasting time. I'm not letting this guy get away." She took a few steps into the mist. "I'll be in and out before you know it!"

"Wait!" called Nick. Judy turned and watched him expectantly. He went to speak, then stopped. His mouth twisted. Finally he said "This is a really bad idea. I don't feel comfortable splitting up."

"I'll be fine, I promise," she said. She was smirking, but it wasn't a joke. "Besides, that's what we have these for, right?" She tapped the tiny walkie-talkie clipped to her tiny belt.

"I guess..." Nick sighed. "Be careful."

"Always."

In a matter of seconds, she was gone.

Nick stood at the gate, alone with his thoughts. Sometimes he could just about hear the distant pop of a firework, but out here, the night was almost entirely silent.

He shone his flashlight into the mist, but there was nothing to see. The dim silhouettes of the first line of gravestones were roughly visible, black splotches in the spectral white. That was his only company.

He tried to keep his breathing slow. Abruptly he grabbed his walkie-talkie. "How's it going?"

"Still here!" came Judy's voice – he could tell she was smiling. "No zombies or ghosts or anything yet... but no perp, either. I'm trying to listen out for him."

Nick nodded, as though she could see him. "...You want me to shut up?"

"Nick, honey," she said sweetly, "I always want you to shut up."

He laughed – and felt himself relax a little. "Thanks, Carrots. First you stick me guarding the spooky gate, now this. What a great partnership we have."

"The best."

He exhaled. "Find him. Fast."

"I will."

Nick lowered the walkie-talkie and went back to waiting.

His breath misted in the cool air. The vapour seemed to get lost in the crushing fog, joining it. Just one more meaningless addition to a vast and uncaring–

Nick shook his head. He was letting himself get distracted. He had a job to do, and Judy was counting on him. He had to get a hold of himself; frankly, this was childish. There was nothing inherently special about this night. His focus shouldn't be interrupted by silly details like the fog, or the creaking of the gate, or the fact that there were dozens if not hundreds of dead bodies in front of them, each one the remnants of what had been a person with hopes and dreams but were now nothing more than inert–

Nick realized his attempt to get a hold of himself wasn't really working.

"Hey, Nick?"

He scrabbled for the walkie-talkie. "Yes?! Um, I..." He coughed and deepened his voice a little. "What's up, Carrots?"

"No sign of him yet. I think I'm gonna try looping back around." She chuckled slightly. "You're gonna laugh at this, but I almost fel–"

The walkie-talkie suddenly made a terrible, garbled noise somewhere close to a crunch.

Nick gripped it tighter. "Hopps?!"

Nothing.

Then, from deep within the cemetery, a high-pitched scream.

"Oh god – _**Judy!**_ " Nick shoved his walkie-talkie onto his belt and sprinted forward.

He ran through the graves and the mist, his heart in his throat. He listened out for any other sound, but all he could hear were his own footsteps – and ragged breath. He swung his flashlight around, but found nothing but tombstones.

"Judy! Where are you?!"

The scream had come from straight ahead, or at least he thought it had. Was he still going the right way? He had to be. But the gravestones were uneven, arranged in an imperfect grid. Maybe he was slowly moving off course.

He couldn't waste a second.

He ran faster. The flashlight's beam vibrated erratically as his hand began to shake. He pressed himself onwards, fearful urgency pushing down on him–

–and stopped. The ground in front of him gave way to a sudden hole. If he had been more careless, he would have fallen straight in.

Nick squinted, pointing his flashlight forward. Sure enough, an unmarked tombstone was on the other side of the hole.

It was an open grave.

Nick sighed quietly. "You've _got_ to be kidding me..."

He peered down carefully, shining his flashlight into the grave. His eyes widened. The light had caught Judy's walkie-talkie, lying in the mud at the bottom.

Now he had no way of finding her. The situation was grave, which would have made a great pun if _a)_ he was in the mood for puns and _b)_ anybody was around to hear him say it. After a brief pause he turned around, and then got hit in the chest by a shovel.

Nick grunted and felt the ground slip away from him. His stomach lurched as he fell backwards. Then he landed heavily on his back.

He was in the grave.

He knew immediately it was too deep for him to climb out of. It might have been intended for a larger animal, but Nick distantly remembered that graves were always dug deep. Maybe it was the perfect size for a fox.

His flashlight had fallen from his grip and landed in the corner, facing up. The beam shone upwards, illuminating his attacker.

The demon stood over him, clutching a large shovel in both paws. He tilted his head slowly as he regarded Nick, the frozen grin gleaming.

Nick glared at him, powerless but defiant. The demon said nothing.

Then he began to laugh under his breath.

"Heheheheh... hehe _heh_ eh..."

Slowly – he was in no rush – he adjusted his grip on the shovel, aiming its pointed tip at Nick. He kept laughing quietly the entire time. Bracing his arms, he lifted it up, ready to strike. Nick tensed, preparing himself as best he could for the blow.

And then Judy came charging through the mist and tackled the coyote.

They fell to the side, out of Nick's view, but the shovel clattered down into the grave. Nick shuffled backwards to avoid being hit.

Although he couldn't see them, he could still hear the sounds of a scuffle. Judy sounded furious. "Don't you _dare_ touch my **partner** , you...!"

The shovel was tall enough to reach the top of the grave. After grabbing his flashlight and Judy's walkie-talkie, Nick leaned it against a corner, stabbing it into the earth for stability. Then he used it as a climbing aid.

His head cleared the lip of the grave just as the coyote slammed face-first into the ground. There was a cracking noise, but it wasn't organic. Then Judy was standing on his back, snapping on the handcuffs.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in a court of law."

His voice was reedy. "You broke my mask!" he whined.

Judy nodded. "Duly noted." She turned and noticed Nick, who wasn't quite able to clear the grave by himself. "Nick! Are you okay?"

"Fine," he said. "Except for the fact that I've got more grave dirt on my uniform than I usually like. And that I'm, um, stuck."

Judy smiled and offered him both paws. With her help, he managed to hook a foot over the edge and climb out.

"I always forget how stupidly strong you are for your size..." He handed her the walkie-talkie. "Found this, by the way."

"Thanks!" As she clipped it back on her belt, she sighed. "I made it this far when that jerkalope" – she jabbed a thumb over her shoulder at the coyote – "snuck up behind me and knocked it right out of my hand. I tried to subdue him, but I lost him in the fog. Guess he didn't go far."

"Did he hurt you?"

"Oh, please. He's a lightweight. I'm fine."

"I don't understand," said Nick. "I heard you scream!" Judy gave him a quizzical look, confused.

"That was me," mumbled the coyote.

"Oh."

* * *

Before long, the coyote was in a holding cell back at ZPD headquarters. There were only a few minutes left on Nick and Judy's shift, and there was no point going back out to the cruiser. Instead, they were sitting in a quiet corner of the lobby, under a large paper skeleton Clawhauser had hung on the wall.

Nick had been quiet since the arrest. "Hey," said Judy, giving him a sheepish smile. "You were right. Next time, no splitting up."

"Thanks, Hopps," he said, perking up.

"Instead, we'll explore the spooky graveyard together!" she said cheerily, and Nick dramatically sank back into the chair.

"You're the _worst_."

Judy giggled into her fist. "You make it so easy."

After a few moments, Judy's watch beeped. "Well, that's us done for the night." She smiled nervously. "So... wanna go watch _Dark Eclipse_?"

"Good god, no," said Nick. "I'm not in the mood."

"I understand," said Judy. "It's been a long night. We should probably..."

"Woah, hey," he said quickly, "I'm still down for watching _a_ movie. I just... uh..." He cleared his throat. "...I guess we could maybe watch _Witch of the Pasture_. I mean, if that's what you want."

Judy raised a wry eyebrow, but couldn't stop herself from smiling. "Really? I thought you said it was for little kids."

He scratched his neck sheepishly. "Hey, what do I know? I... As it happens, I didn't get a chance to see it when it came out. So."

"You've never seen it? Oh, jeez! Now we _have_ to watch it!" Her eyes shone. "I have a copy at home. I'd love to see what you think of it!"

He smiled. "Sounds good, Carrots. Sounds good."

Judy coughed. "And we can watch _Dark Eclipse_... some other time. Maybe."

Nick laughed. "No pressure. After all – there's always next year."


End file.
